Chinese Science Research Articles

An analysis of the decomposition and driving force of carbon emissions in transport sector in China

China’s transport carbon emissions are increasing quickly and the issue of emission reduction is urgent. This article aims to calculate and decompose China’s transport carbon emissions during 2001–2019. It first calculates the China’s transport carbon emissions by IPCC carbon emission factor method, and then applies the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model for decomposition analysis. The conclusion indicates that: (1) Diesel, gasoline, kerosene, and fuel oil are the major energy sources used in China’s transport sector, with the combined consumption of diesel and gasoline exceeding 70%, and the annual growth rate of energy consumption reached 8.92% during 2000–2019. Among them, natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have the fastest growth rate, while the only one showing a downward trend is raw coal, indicating that China’s transportation energy structure is being optimized. (2) Although China’s transport carbon emissions have been increasing, the growth rate has declined since 2013. The proportion of carbon emissions from kerosene, diesel, natural gas, and LPG increased from 2000 to 2019, while that of raw coal, gasoline, and fuel oil decreased. This suggests that the use of clean energy, air transportation, and large-scale transportation is increasing, while the use of heavily polluting fuels and small-scale road transportation is decreasing. (3) Per capita GDP is the driving factor that has the most influence on the increase of China’s transport carbon emissions. Population positively influences transportation carbon emissions too, but issues such as aging, low fertility rates, and insufficient labor force may change the direction of the impact in the next 30 years. (4) The negative effect of energy intensity on transport carbon emissions is the greatest, followed by industrial structure and energy structure. The development of highways, new energy vehicles, railway electrification, multimodal transportation, third-party logistics, and logistics information technology in China has improved the energy structure, reduced energy intensity, and brought China’s transport sector into an important stage of innovation driven and pursuit of coordinated development with the environment.

The efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation for allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review aims to synthesise findings from randomised, controlled trials and assess the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation in treating allergic rhinitis. A thorough search was conducted across PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, Chinese Scientific Journal, and Chinese Biomedical Literature databases from their inception until October 2023. The primary outcome measure was the total effective rate, with secondary outcomes including adverse events. This review included 15 randomised, controlled trials involving 1430 patients. The pooled analysis revealed a statistically significant effect on the total effective rate (odds ratio = 3.27, 95 per cent confidence interval = 2.37 to ~4.51). However, no statistical significance was observed in adverse events (odds ratio = 1.18, 95 per cent confidence interval = 0.67 to ~2.08). Based on the analytical results, radiofrequency ablation emerges as an efficacious and safe treatment modality for allergic rhinitis. Given the constraints posed by a limited sample size, it is imperative that forthcoming clinical trials adhere rigorously to the gold standard of randomised, controlled trials for the purpose of corroborating these conclusions.

Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Radicular Cervical Spondylosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy is a serious and common degenerative disease of the cervical spine due to irritation and compression of the nerve roots of the cervical spine, resulting in a series of clinical symptoms based on sensory, motor and reflex disorders, such as numbness and pain in the neck, shoulders, upper limbs and fingers. Acupuncture is highly effective in treating CSR and has become a common treatment accepted by patients. This study aims to systematically review and analyze existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of CSR. We used the following eight databases for literature data search: PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biology Medicine Disc ( CBMdisc), Wanfang Database and China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP). The search consisted of randomized controlled studies of acupuncture for CSR between 2000 and 2020 and the methodological quality of the included studies was assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration's "Risk of Bias Assessment Tool."RevMan 5.4 software was used for statistical analysis only. Study screening, data extraction and statistics, and assessment of the risk of bias of the included studies were performed independently by two reviewers. 27 studies with 3124 patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis of the total efficiency index for acupuncture for CSR were [RR = 1.14,95% CI (1.09,1.19)]. The results of the meta-analysis of the PPI index were [MD = -0.35, 95% CI (-0.61,-0. 09)]. The results of META analysis of the total effective rate, VAS score, PRI(A) score, PRI(S) score and PRI(T) score showed heterogeneity in the studies included for each outcome index, and sources of heterogeneity were sought through subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis to ensure more stable and reliable data results. The results of the combined meta-analysis showed that the treatment group was significantly more effective than the control group and more effective in lowering the nerves to reduce the pain index in patients with CSR, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). This indicates that acupuncture treatment is superior to traction for CSR. Acupuncture is significantly more effective than traction therapy in the treatment of cervical spondylosis and can reduce the pain index of patients with CSR.

Analysis of the Impact of Import and Export Trade on the Innovation Ability of Chinese Industrial Enterprises

In recent years, the process of economic globalization and industrial globalization has been accelerating. In order to consolidate their competitiveness in the international market, countries have deployed and implemented innovative development strategies. At present, although China has become a major industrial and manufacturing country in the world, and the only country in the world with all industrial categories, compared with the advanced level in the world, it still needs to strengthen independent innovation, improve the scientific and technological content and informatization level, improve the level of industrial structure, and promote high-quality economic development. With China's accession to the World Trade Organization, it continues to "go out and introduce", pushing Chinese manufacturing to the world, and also continuously bringing high-quality foreign resources and advanced technology into China. At present, a large number of scholars have also studied the innovation capabilities of enterprises and high-tech industries, but the selection criteria are not the same. This article is based on the innovation capability evaluation system proposed by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, combined with the entropy weight method, and weights 10 secondary indicators selected from the evaluation system to calculate the comprehensive score of high-tech industry innovation capability for each province from 2010 to 2019. Select import and export trade as the core explanatory variable to study the impact of import and export trade on China's high-tech industry innovation capacity, and propose policy recommendations for this.

Exploring science teachers’ epistemic beliefs about scientific inquiry and influencing factors

ABSTRACT Science teachers play a critical role in fostering scientific literacy by engaging students in scientific practices. However, little is understood about science teachers’ epistemic beliefs about scientific inquiry and the influence of their demographic backgrounds on these beliefs. We conducted a mixed-methods study with 367 teachers of science in China using the Views About Scientific Inquiry questionnaire (VASI). Results revealed limited informed understanding of scientific inquiry (19.2% naïve vs. 18.6% informed), with teachers struggling in aspects like distinguishing scientific questions, transforming data into evidence, and constructing explanations. Moreover, the teachers’ views were shaped by the interplay of their teaching experiences, academic background, and level of academic attainment. For teachers with different academic backgrounds, the length of teaching experience has different effects on their views of inquiry. The study highlights the need to integrate scientific inquiry epistemology into teacher education programs tailored to specific misconceptions and teachers’ needs. It also stresses the importance of diverse methodologies for exploring epistemic beliefs and calls for establishing professional standards on scientific inquiry epistemology in teacher training.

Chinese corporate governance research over the last decade (2014 - 2023)

This paper aims to summarize the academic research trend of corporate governance in China from 2014 to 2023. We collect papers published in the journals included in the Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI) and Association of Business School (ABS) rating above 3 stars. We analyze keywords, journal distribution, authors, and other information to understand the trend of Chinese corporate governance research and publications. On this basis, we carry out bibliometric analysis to summarize the hot and emerging topics of Chinese corporate governance research over the past ten years. Finally, we propose possible future research prospects.

High-intensity electroacupuncture is superior to low-intensity electroacupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been demonstrated to be efficacious and safe in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), yet the optimal current intensity for pain control in KOA remains unspecified. The present meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of high-intensity and low-intensity EA in terms of pain relief and functional improvement in KOA. A thorough and comprehensive literature search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), all looking at the intensity of EA for KOA, was carried out in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science Journal Citation Report (VIP) and Wanfang database, as well as ClinicalTrials.gov. All databases were searched from their inception until April 2022. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias (RoB)2 tool. Finally, a meta-analysis of all eligible RCTs was performed using Review Manager 5.3. Three studies with 472 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. The pain intensity reductions were significantly different between the high-intensity EA group and low-intensity EA group (mean difference (MD) = -0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.26 to -0.18, p < 0.00001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores (MD = -3.62, 95% CI = -12.22 to 4.98, p = 0.41). High-intensity EA significantly improved emotional scale (ES) scores compared to low-intensity EA (MD = -0.72, 95% CI = -0.76 to -0.67, p < 0.00001). The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that high-intensity EA provides superior pain relief and has a bigger impact on emotional scale scores in patients with KOA.

Symptom burden and clusters during chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the distribution characteristics of symptoms in patients with lung cancer during chemotherapy, identify the symptom clusters (SCs) and explore the underlying mechanisms. The findings will provide evidence to assist clinical staff in effectively managing symptoms and SCs.MethodsParticipants were recruited from the Oncology Department of Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, between July 2022 and December 2022. The incidence and severity of symptoms were assessed and SCs were identified. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between lung cancer-specific SC and routine blood indices.ResultsA total of 169 patients participated in the study. The most prevalent and severe symptom was loss of appetite. Based on the occurrence rate and severity of symptoms, SC extraction was performed for mild, moderate, and severe symptoms, resulting in the identification of five SCs: psycho-emotional SC, chemotherapy-related SC, lung cancer-specific SC, urinary-related SC, and gastrointestinal SC. When only the moderate and severe symptoms were considered, two SCs were identified: chemotherapy-related SC and lung cancer-specific SC. Additionally, the lung cancer-specific SC showed a negative correlation with eosinophils.ConclusionPatients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy experience complex and diverse symptoms. A total of five SCs were extracted based on mild, moderate and severe symptoms and two SCs were extracted based on moderate and severe symptoms. The results of the study showed that lung cancer-specific SC was negatively correlated with eosinophils. Future research should focus on developing and refining research tools, methodologies, understanding the pathogenesis, and exploring intervention measures for SCs.

Retrospect on seventy years of Chinese stomatology history research:focusing on papers issued by Chinese Journal of Stomatology

Chinese Journal of Stomatology has had eighty papers on Chinese stomatology history issued for seventy years. According to three stages of the journal,statistics of the quantity and themes of the issued papers are compiled: the number of issued papers increases while the theme shifts from Chinese stomatology history before 1912 to Chinese contemporary stomatology history. Research methods shifts from the comparatively scanty approach of summary and induction on literature and cultural relics materials to multidisciplinary approaches. Early researches saw the senior scholars such as Zhou Dacheng and Mao Xiejun play the role in the field while recent years research teams represented by colleges and research institutions have published varied research topics. As the research deepens, platforms for issuing stomatology papers have been expanded, more subjects have been cross-disciplined and some academic monographs on stomatology history and stomatology education history have been published, among which Zhou Dacheng's Historic textual research of Chinese stomatology can be regarded as a milestone in the field. Comparing with other fields in the stomatology, current research on stomatology history still has much more gap to fill. The academic community should put more emphasis on talent training, discipline construction, research approaches, museum construction and cooperation between Chinese and western medical sciences so that to assist in the long-term development of the research.

Outcomes of interprofessional education for pharmacy students: a systematic review

BackgroundInterprofessional education (IPE) refers to a teaching and learning method in which students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. A systematic review was performed to investigate the current practice and the effectiveness of IPE in pharmacy education.MethodsDatabases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Medline, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP China Science and Technology Journal, and WanFang were searched from inception to September 20, 2024, using search terms such as interprofessional, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, IPE, pharmacy, and pharmaceutical education. Studies were screened and included if they were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cohort studies reporting the outcome differences between pharmacy students participating in IPE activities and those receiving lecture-based learning. Reporting quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool 2 and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Detailed information including the studies’ general information, research methods, and results were collected. Primary outcomes including pharmacy students’ interprofessional competence, readiness for and attitudes towards IPE, class satisfaction, and professional knowledge were analyzed with meta-analysis or reported descriptively.ResultsSeven RCTs and seven cohort studies were included in the systematic review. Eight studies reported that IPE demonstrated a positive impact on pharmacy students’ interprofessional competence (p < 0.05). Three studies showed that IPE enhanced students’ readiness for participating in interprofessional learning (p < 0.05). Four studies revealed that IPE significantly improved the attitude of pharmacy students towards IPE (p < 0.0001). The meta-analysis of the two cohort studies showed that IPE significantly improved the Attitudes Towards Health Care Teams (ATHCT) scale scores (SMD = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.22–0.60). Students who participated in IPE activities were generally satisfied with the course (average score > 4.0 out of 5.0). Apart from embedded in courses, some novel IPE programs were conducted, such as outpatient clinics operated by interprofessional students.ConclusionsThe study revealed that IPE was widely used in pharmacy education. IPE enhanced pharmacy students’ interprofessional competence, class satisfaction, and their readiness for and attitudes towards interprofessional learning. The effect of IPE on professional knowledge remained controversial across studies.

Thyroid hormone levels in patients with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeTo investigate the difference in blood (serum/plasma) thyroid hormone (TH) levels, including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3), in bipolar disorder (BD) during different mood episodes (depression and mania) compared with healthy control (HC) and between manic episodes (BD-M) and depressive episodes (BD-D).MethodsAs of September 1, 2024, the electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and Clinical Trials. Gov were systematically searched with no language limitations. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were summarized using a random effects model. The chi-squared-based Q test and the I2 test assessed the size of heterogeneity.ResultsThe 21 studies included a total of 3696 participants, Of the 2942 BD patients, 1583 were in depressive episodes 1359 were in manic episodes. The status of measuring blood TH levels included 2 studies in plasma and 19 in serum. Combined with the results of the sensitivity analyses, we obtained the following relatively reliable results: serum T3 (SMD: -0.63, 95%CI: -1.09 to -0.17) and FT3 (SMD: -0.42, 95%CI: -0.83 to -0.00) levels decreased significantly in BD-D compared to HC; serum T3 (SMD: -0.91, 95%CI: -1.49 to -0.32) levels decreased significantly and serum FT4 (SMD: 0.37, 95%CI: 0.14 to 0.60) levels increased significantly in BD-M than in HC; serum T3 (SMD: 0.87, 95%CI: 0.24 to 1.49) and FT3 (SMD: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.42) levels demonstrated a significant elevation in BD-M compared to BD-D. In the group of euthyroidism, apart from serum FT4 (SMD: 0.21, 95%CI: -0.15 to 0.58) levels showed no significant difference between BD-M and HC, other results above remained consistent.ConclusionSerum T3 and FT3 levels decreased significantly in BD-D compared to HC. Serum T3 levels decreased significantly and serum FT4 levels increased significantly in BD-M compared to HC. Serum T3 and FT3 levels increased significantly in BD-M than in BD-D. The temporality of changes in TH levels and BD progression demands further longitudinal studies to illustrate.Trial registrationNumber and date of registration for prospectively registered trials No. CRD42022378530.

The application of QCT in the prognostic assessment of mCRC undergoing first-line treatment based on bevacizumab.

Bevacizumab induces muscle atrophy by changing the gene expression level of muscle tissue. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) enables precise measurement of various body compositions, including muscle area. A total of 102 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) undergoing first-line chemotherapy based on bevacizumab were enrolled at thirst Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China. Their body compositions were measured respectively 1 month before and 1 month after the treatment. Treatment-related decline in skeletal muscle index and visceral fat infiltration significantly affect patient prognosis. A predictive model constructed by integrating changes in body composition with patient clinical characteristics effectively predicts the 9-month progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with mCRC.

Intensive Blood-Pressure Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Effective targets for systolic blood-pressure control in patients with type 2 diabetes are unclear. We enrolled patients 50 years of age or older with type 2 diabetes, elevated systolic blood pressure, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease at 145 clinical sites across China. Patients were randomly assigned to receive intensive treatment that targeted a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg or standard treatment that targeted a systolic blood pressure of less than 140 mm Hg for up to 5 years. The primary outcome was a composite of nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, treatment or hospitalization for heart failure, or death from cardiovascular causes. Multiple imputation was used for missing outcome data, with an assumption that the data were missing at random. Of 12,821 patients (6414 patients in the intensive-treatment group and 6407 in the standard-treatment group) enrolled from February 2019 through December 2021, 5803 (45.3%) were women; the mean (±SD) age of the patients was 63.8±7.5 years. At 1 year of follow-up, the mean systolic blood pressure was 121.6 mm Hg (median, 118.3 mm Hg) in the intensive-treatment group and 133.2 mm Hg (median, 135.0 mm Hg) in the standard-treatment group. During a median follow-up of 4.2 years, primary-outcome events occurred in 393 patients (1.65 events per 100 person-years) in the intensive-treatment group and 492 patients (2.09 events per 100 person-years) in the standard-treatment group (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.69 to 0.90; P<0.001). The incidence of serious adverse events was similar in the treatment groups. However, symptomatic hypotension and hyperkalemia occurred more frequently in the intensive-treatment group than in the standard-treatment group. Among patients with type 2 diabetes, the incidence of major cardiovascular events was significantly lower with intensive treatment targeting a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg than with standard treatment targeting a systolic blood pressure of less than 140 mm Hg. (Funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China and others; BPROAD ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03808311.).

Arthroscopic assisted versus open core decompression for osteonecrosis of the femoral head: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Minimally invasive treatment options for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) have been a prominent area of research in recent years. Arthroscopic-assisted treatments have been applied in the clinical management of ONFH; however, high-quality evidence verifying their effectiveness and safety is still lacking. To systematically assess the clinical efficacy and safety of arthroscopic-assisted core decompression (AACD) in treating ONFH. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, WanFang, and the Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, from inception to June 25, 2024. We identified randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled studies on AACD for the treatment of ONFH based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4.1 and Stata 17.0 software. The analyzed outcomes included operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, postoperative femoral head collapse rate, Harris hip score, and postoperative complication rate. The Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system was used to assess the quality of evidence for the outcome indicators. A total of fourteen studies were included in this meta-analysis, comprising 1,063 patients-541 in the core decompression (CD) group and 522 in the AACD group. The meta-analysis revealed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, 12-month postoperative Harris hip score, or overall postoperative complication rate (P > 0.05). However, the AACD group had a longer operative time (MD = 31.19, 95% Cl: 5.32 to 57.07, P = 0.02) and a lower overall postoperative femoral head collapse rate (RR = 0.49, 95% Cl: 0.27 to 0.89, P = 0.02) compared with the CD group. Additionally, the AACD group showed significant improvements in Harris hip scores at 3 months (MD = 6.39, 95% Cl: 5.44 to 7.33, P < 0.00001), 6 months (MD = 7.56, 95% Cl: 6.63 to 8.49, P < 0.00001), ≥ 24 months (MD = 7.00, 95% Cl: 4.80 to 9.21, P < 0.00001), and at the last follow-up (MD = 6.89, 95% Cl: 5.30 to 8.48, P < 0.00001) compared to the CD group. The GRADE evidence assessment indicated that the overall postoperative complication rate was supported by moderate-quality evidence, while the evidence for operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative femoral head collapse rate, and Harris hip score was of low quality. The evidence for length of hospital stay was deemed very low quality. This meta-analysis suggests that AACD is an effective and safe treatment for patients with ONFH. However, due to the limited quantity and quality of the included studies, these results should be interpreted with caution. Further high-quality studies are recommended to confirm these findings.

Instruments for Measuring the Burden of Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.

This study identifies instruments for assessing the burden on family caregivers of cancer patients and evaluates their psychometric properties using COSMIN criteria. A systematic review based on COSMIN methodology. The review adhered to PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were identified through searches in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and China Science and Technology Journal Database, covering literature from inception to September 2024. Included studies focused on developing or validating measurement tools and assessing psychometric properties such as reliability, internal consistency and construct validity. Two independent researchers screened the literature, extracted data and evaluated psychometric properties using COSMIN criteria while assessing evidence quality via the GRADE method. A total of 32 studies were included, encompassing 17 tools for assessing caregiver burden. None reported measurement error, cross-cultural validity or responsiveness. The Caregiver's Burden Scale in End-of-Life Care (CBS-EOLC) demonstrated strong reliability, validity and internal consistency, receiving a strong recommendation for clinical practice. In contrast, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), Family Caregiver Burden Interview Scale (FBIS) and Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale (BCOS) are not recommended due to insufficient supporting evidence. Other tools showed weak evidence, leading to weak recommendations. The CBS-EOLC exhibits comprehensive psychometric properties suitable for clinical applications. The ZBI, FBIS and BCOS lack adequate supporting evidence and are not recommended. Future research should focus on measurement error, cross-cultural validity and responsiveness to enhance these tools' applicability and reliability. This review provides evidence for healthcare providers to select instruments for assessing caregiver burden in cancer patients. This systematic review highlights the need for comprehensive assessments of caregiver burden based on COSMIN guidelines. This study is a systematic review with no patient or public participation.

Efficacy of acupuncture treatment for diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome with comorbid anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

Presently, a diverse range of Western medical interventions are accessible for the management of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) concomitant with comorbid anxiety and depression. However, the concomitant adverse effects have also surfaced, exerting strain on healthcare resources and the socio-economic structure. In recent times, the benefits of acupuncture in the management of IBS-D with coexisting anxiety and depression have become progressively evident. Nevertheless, a paucity of evidence-based medicine exists to substantiate the utilization of acupuncture for the treatment of IBS-D with anxiety and depression. The objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture as an intervention for IBS-D with comorbid anxiety and depression. We searched 7 databases, including the Chinese Journal Full-text Database, Wanfang Academic Journals Full-text Database, VIP Chinese Scientific Journals Full-text Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to acupuncture treatment for IBS with anxiety and depression, published from database inception to August 1, 2023. RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17.0 software were used for meta-analysis of relevant outcome measures. This study included a total of 16 RCTs, involving 1305 IBS-D patients (691 in the experimental group and 614 in the control group). The meta-analysis results showed that compared to oral medication, acupuncture therapy improved HAMD scores (MD = 0.88, 95% CI = [0.68, 1.07], P < .00001), HAMA scores (MD = 2.32, 95% CI = [1.70, 2.93], P < .00001), self-rating anxiety scale scores (MD = 11.67, 95% CI = [10.85, 12.49], P < .00001), SDS scores (MD = 9.84, 95% CI = [8.52, 11.16], P < .00001), IBS-SSS scores (MD = 37.48, 95% CI = [12.17, 62.78], P = .004), overall response rate (MD = 1.27, 95% CI = [1.20, 1.35], P < .00001), and relapse rate (MD = 0.27, 95% CI = [0.16, 0.47], P < .00001) in patients with IBS-D comorbid with anxiety and depression. Acupuncture treatment has a definite and beneficial effect on IBS-D patients with comorbid anxiety and depression.

The return predictability of technological links: evidence from the Chinese STAR Market

ABSTRACT This paper examines the predictive power of technology-linked returns in the Chinese Science and Technology Innovation Market (STAR Market). Using a sample from August 2019 to June 2023, we construct technology-linked returns based on patent portfolio similarities among firms. Our findings indicate that these returns significantly predict future stock returns, with a long-short strategy yielding weekly excess returns between 0.50% and 0.53%. Analysis of trade sizes reveals that institutional investors are more likely to drive this predictability, as the direction of large trades aligns with technology-linked returns. This study explores how technology-peer information affects stock returns in an emerging, technology-intensive market, highlighting the significant role of traders with large capital in leveraging technology-peer information.

Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Diabetic Nephropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the effectiveness of acupuncture for patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Nine online databases were searched: China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, China Clinical Trial Centre, Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. The search period was from the establishment of the database to 1 September 2023. The quality of the literature was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and the data were analyzed using STATA/MP17 and Review Manager 5.3 software. A total of 221 articles were identified, and 13 studies were included. The total sample size was 899, including 452 and 447 cases in the experimental and control groups, respectively. The meta-analysis showed that acupuncture combined with modern medical treatment was effective in improving urinary albumin excretion rate, 24 h urinary microalbumin, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, fasting plasma glucose, 2 h post-prandial plasma glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 in patients with DN. Adverse events were reported in only one trial; therefore, this review cannot yet conclude on the safety of acupuncture intervention in DN. The clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with modern medicine in DN is superior to that of modern medicine alone. To better evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture intervention for DN, more rigorously designed large-sample, multicentre, randomized controlled trials are needed to provide evidence support in the future.

Predicting thyroid involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome: development and validation of a predictive nomogram.

Patients with Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) are at a higher risk of thyroid disorders than the general population. This retrospective analysis of 202 patients with pSS was conducted to uncover risk factors associated with thyroid involvement and to create a predictive model for this condition. We analyzed 202 patients with pSS from Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, with 105 cases of thyroid involvement and 97 without. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator method was used to identify key variables for our risk model. These variables were then subjected to multivariate logistic regression to develop the model. The accuracy of the model was assessed through the C-index, receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis, with internal validation via bootstrapping. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HCRP), pulmonary disease, pharyngeal dryness, forgetfulness, night sweats, hyperuricemia, nasal dryness, anxiety, Ro52, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were incorporated into the nomogram. The model showed robust discrimination and calibration abilities. Decision curve analysis indicated the clinical utility of our nomogram in intervening on the probability thresholds of thyroid disease. By integrating HCRP, pulmonary disease, pharyngeal dryness, forgetfulness, night sweats, hyperuricemia, nasal dryness, anxiety, Ro52, and AST, our thyroid risk nomogram can predict the risk of thyroid involvement in patients with pSS, aiding in more informed treatment strategies.

Global research trends in traditional Chinese medicine therapy for acute leukemia: a comprehensive visualization and bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT Background: The application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy to acute leukemia has been intensively investigated. However, the bibliometric analysis in this field has not been performed. This bibliometric study aimed to comprehensively analyze the research trends and active areas of TCM therapy for acute leukemia from 2000 to 2023. Methods: We searched articles and reviews published between 2000 and 2023 that discussed TCM in acute leukemia from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Knowledge mapping and bibliometric analysis were conducted using VOSviewer, CiteSpace software, and R-bibliometrix. Results: A total of 1,099 articles were included, with China, the United States, and Korea contributing the most papers. Most papers were published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Meanwhile, China saw a steady increase in the number of publications. The three leading institutions that made outstanding contributions were the China Medical University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. Efferth Thomas, Liu Wei, and Liu Jie were the top three productive authors, with Efferth T receiving the most co-citations. The most frequently cited reference was Shen ZX (1997). In the analysis of keywords co-occurrence, ‘survival,’ ‘risk factors,’ ‘nanoparticles,’ and ‘metabolism’ are the active research topics. Conclusion: This bibliometric study provides researchers with a comprehensive overview and significant value in understanding the development of TCM in acute leukemia treatment.